Kifthief''s NEW Cfl Server Grow

[KifThief]

The inside will look alot better once I get it all lined with mylar, and I'm gonna install a better scrog screen, the one ive got in there now is really just more to keep the seedlings right up against the light. But I did a little cleanup (moving the excess materials out and putting the next containers in) and heres how the insides lookin right now:

 

[KifThief]

Well all three seeds are cracked and growing tap roots so now im just waiting for these girls to break ground. Gettin excited

 

[Crake]

Well all three seeds are cracked and growing tap roots so now im just waiting for these girls to break ground. Gettin excited

Awesome exciting stuff. Hope you get some girls.

 

[5FingrdSloth]

hey Kif, white paint works just as well as mylar if you have it. Also, most Walmart type stores with a camping section sell the emergency blankets made of mylar for under 3 dollars. More than enough to line your cab.

 

[KifThief]

i was considering white paint but ive already got my plants in there so i think it might get a little messy, but the emergency blanket idea was exactly what i was gonna do thanks for the tip!

 

[A is 4 PiMp]

I think i might have to give that emergency blanket thing a try

 

[troyca1]

it looks great. i hope everything will be allright. peace

 

[KifThief]

one little girl is starting to poke her head out of the peat hopefully ill have a couple little sprouts in the next few days

 

[Norrsken]

I wish that was my grow box man! Looks freakin awesome!

 

[KifThief]

well i think the temps in my box have been gradually increasing just a little bit each day, they are now reading a little less than 90

any ideas on how to squeeze a little more airflow out of the box? or is there any better design for carbon filters?

one idea i had was installing a plexiglass sheet just under the bulbs. I would have one fan running intake to the lights and one fan exhasting the hot air out the back. The entire lighting system would be sealed off from the growing and electrical areas, not affecting air flow through the growing area and carbon filter. What do you guys think?

It would look a little something like this:

 

[KifThief]

Or actually instead of all that work how do you think temps would be if i just switched my lighting to one of these? (http://www.businesslights.com/feliz-125w-2700k-mogul-base-cfl-lamp-p-2396.html) from what i understand the individual ballasts in the bulbs are partially responsible for the excess heat so would it help to only have one big bulb in there?

 

[KifThief]

actually screw it i wanna see how much it would take to build a simple led panel.. ive got a pretty good base knowlege of dc current and im pretty good soldering so why not?

 

[5FingrdSloth]

I think there's a thread on that here KT. If I come across it, I'll drop a link on you.

 

[KifThief]

Ok, i think i have the led lighting figured out. I'm ordering the leds and the driver today so they should be here in a little more than a week im guessing. Once i have it complete, there will be a total of 36w of light so that should be plenty for the space that i have. I'm also going to cool the fixture with two computer fans mounted to the backside of the panel.

Edit: I was going to use 3w leds, but i did some more research and found that 1w leds are way more efficient, so I'm going to be using 24 1w leds (18 red and 6 blue) instead of the original 12 3w diodes (9 red and 3 blue)

 

[Crake]

any ideas on how to squeeze a little more airflow out of the box? or is there any better design for carbon filters?

Yes:

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As opposed to:

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one idea i had was installing a plexiglass sheet just under the bulbs. I would have one fan running intake to the lights and one fan exhasting the hot air out the back. The entire lighting system would be sealed off from the growing and electrical areas, not affecting air flow through the growing area and carbon filter. What do you guys think?

I think that's going to be tough to lightproof, but great if you can pull it off, I guess. I'd personally just maximize the surface area of my filter and then put as much light in there as the airflow can handle.

 

[ProfGerbik]

why not just buy a tent?

 

[KifThief]

Crake, thats a great idea and I would change out the filter, but right now its a major light proofing and structural piece for the box and currently i don't have the time to do that major of a change. I do plan on revising the design, just not yet.

I am building an led panel either way though, i just cant get my mind off it and i already have a few of the supplies needed so I'll see how it goes! For now I am just running 3 of the cfls and my temps are hovering in the mid 80s so I think I'm in the clear for the time being until I install the new light.

And believe me, I would love to grow in a tent, but until i find a new place this ones gonna have to remain stealth.

 

[sm0k4]

Crake, thats a great idea and I would change out the filter, but right now its a major light proofing and structural piece for the box and currently i don't have the time to do that major of a change. I do plan on revising the design, just not yet.

I am building an led panel either way though, i just cant get my mind off it and i already have a few of the supplies needed so I'll see how it goes! For now I am just running 3 of the cfls and my temps are hovering in the mid 80s so I think I'm in the clear for the time being until I install the new light.

And believe me, I would love to grow in a tent, but until i find a new place this ones gonna have to remain stealth.

Good luck with the array, your exhaust flow will be better suited for an LED array anyway. With a small confined area, they are really the way to go over CFL in order to maintain heat and odor control without sacrificing light or bud.

 

[KifThief]

Day 5:
the little girls are just starting to grow their first leaves, still waiting for the led stuff to come in

 

[KifThief]

Day 13

Girls are doing pretty good, I'm going to give them quarter strength nutes for their next watering and I'll probably be switching to 12/12 as soon as my leds come in.